I think that may be because the Scottish industry is way behind us. We've been refurbishing our incinerators over the last couple of years so that they meet the new requirements when they are introduced. Gave us a laugh when a 100m stainless steel smoke stack was delivered to our offices, the billing address, rather than the sewage works.

What concerns me is the concentration of heavy metals or other 'unknown' factors. I'm not keen on it in potting compost as we often grow salad crops in it so the liklyhood of soil on the leaves is high.

On the other hand, I'm very keen on recycling *all* our waste when we move somewhere. Would a composting toilet or reed bed system actually be good enough to break down soilds into a harmless fertiliser? The easier option if you have room is use the composted waste to ferilize non-edible plants such as trees being grown for timber or fire wood, but that's a bit of a cop out.

What concerns me is the concentration of heavy metals or other 'unknown' factors. I'm not keen on it in potting compost as we often grow salad crops in it so the liklyhood of soil on the leaves is high.

Outputs from such sewage plants are monitored for heavy metals, and yes, it's a problem for them sometimes. The big problem they have is that if too much contamination occurs, it'll knock over the whole activated sludge process and close the plant till it can be re-started, and that's time consuming and bloody annoying.

I've yet to come across any credible stated danger associated with metal ions in the waste when used as a compost component or soil conditioner.

Quote:

On the other hand, I'm very keen on recycling *all* our waste when we move somewhere. Would a composting toilet or reed bed system actually be good enough to break down soilds into a harmless fertiliser? The easier option if you have room is use the composted waste to ferilize non-edible plants such as trees being grown for timber or fire wood, but that's a bit of a cop out.

It's also a bit unreliable- rain spreads the waste about rather, it creates aerosols when it hits the waste, so you don't want it spread, untreated, on ANY of your land.

On the other hand, I'm very keen on recycling *all* our waste when we move somewhere. Would a composting toilet or reed bed system actually be good enough to break down soilds into a harmless fertiliser? The easier option if you have room is use the composted waste to ferilize non-edible plants such as trees being grown for timber or fire wood, but that's a bit of a cop out.

Surely well rotted human manure, particularily your own, as you know at least what you have put in, so to speak, would be no worse than digging in well rotted horse manure.

Surely well rotted human manure, particularily your own, as you know at least what you have put in, so to speak, would be no worse than digging in well rotted horse manure.

WAAAAY worse.

There are a whole heap of bactera at the far end of your digestive system, bacteria that you'd rather not get back to the top end. Really. Washing your hands after taking a dump isn't just abour ptorecting other people, it's also about protecting you.

Surely well rotted human manure, particularily your own, as you know at least what you have put in, so to speak, would be no worse than digging in well rotted horse manure.

WAAAAY worse.

There are a whole heap of bactera at the far end of your digestive system, bacteria that you'd rather not get back to the top end. Really. Washing your hands after taking a dump isn't just abour ptorecting other people, it's also about protecting you.

Ahhhh...but when your 'movement' towards self sufficiency start impinging on the health of the local community (with their individual movements) sometimes it's best to work collectively and all move together.

Ahhhh...but when your 'movement' towards self sufficiency start impinging on the health of the local community (with their individual movements) sometimes it's best to work collectively and all move together.

Perhaps you should put that on your next leaflet.

There are many, many people in Europe with various schemes running, some must work? I also know somone with a local treatment works emptying into to local river. I'll have to ask them what happens to the sludge.

There are many, many people in Europe with various schemes running, some must work? I also know somone with a local treatment works emptying into to local river. I'll have to ask them what happens to the sludge.

Having your own treatment works is rather different to composting it or rotting it down for use as fertiliser. I'd be curious to know how smaller scale operations work too.

The traditional way of disposing of the sludge from septic tanks was to spread it on the land. However the EA are starting to frown on this and are looking to get people to have their tank emptied by a "competent body". What they mean is to pay someone to empty it, tanker away the crud to a sewage works where it gets treated. I'm not sure that this is really necessary.

The traditional way of disposing of the sludge from septic tanks was to spread it on the land.

When we moved here, we found a strange-looking implement at the back of the barn. It looked a bit like a small wok on the end of a very looong handle. Couldn't for the life of me work out what it was for. Then a friend came over and said, with glee, "It's a s**t scoop"! Presumably for doing just that.